The present invention is directed to a casino gaming apparatus, which could be either an individual gaming unit or a casino gaming system having a plurality of gaming units, that are capable of explaining to a player how the individual winning combinations contributed to the total payout value awarded by the gaming apparatus.
Traditional gaming units, such as video slot machines by way of example, typically allow a player to wager on one or more paylines and spin a plurality of reels in the hopes that a winning combination of symbols on the stopped reels will appear on one or more of the paylines that were purchased. A payoff to the player depends on the specific symbols that occur on the wagered payline with more rare symbols resulting in higher payouts than the more common symbols. The rates at which the different winning combinations pay out may be either mechanically configured or electronically defined in stored payout tables, depending on the physical nature of the apparatus. The outcome of the exemplary video slot machine game often results in multiple winning combinations being displayed simultaneously and the total payout value awarded the player is based on the combined contribution of these individual winning combinations. Given the potential number of winning combinations, it is often difficult for the player to understand how the total payout value was derived. To explain the steps resulting in the total payout value, the player can select a “See Pays” option, for example, that causes a paytable containing the stored payout data to be displayed. With this information the player may be able to determine how the total payout was calculated.
In instances where the winning combinations are complicated and difficult to understand, the player may require the additional assistance of an attendant to decipher the calculations used to derive the total payout value. As a result, gambling establishments are required to provide additional customer service staff to insure that the player's questions are answered. This in turn slows rate at which the games are played, ultimately diminishing the gambling establishment's total revenue.